Monthly Archives: September 2012

Every day we are grateful for what we have and where we are.
While the world of published media, whether it be audio or print,
is in flux; here we are, a nicely stocked bookstore in the small
town of Philomath, Oregon. We are ready to travel to our local
schools and events to bring to you an uplifting and
edifying display of resources.

Have you chosen your topic of deepening for the Fall? Here is
what I'll be choosing - God Passes
By by Shoghi Effendi, because his writings seem to provide a
clear paradigm within which to understand the vastness of this
Revelation. What will you be studying? Send me a line and
share!

Anybody who manages a Bahá'í bookstore in their community knows
that this is not a lucrative endeavor, nor one that will generate
much income. At present, we are blessed with a setup where all
costs associated with maintaining and distributing inventory are
sustained by the business activity. While some may imagine a
buzzing office with staff, this bookstore is operated by one
individual in two rooms. As a parent of 5 children, there is a
financial cost to this service due to the need to hire babysitters.
For a few years, this situation provided an opportunity for very
flexible work to youth engaging in increasing acts of service to
the community. We learned much about subsidizing, bartering,
training in work skills, exploring creative work options
around service, and prioritizing the channeling of
youth's energies into meaningful service while ensuring that their
basic material needs were covered.

This year priorities have changed. Focus areas for teams of
youth on full/part time service have changed. We now have new
question: if we need to pay to perform a service, is paying to run
a bookstore the best use of our resources?

There are no easy answers. In the meantime, yes, our time in the
bookstore has slowed considerably and there are more questions than
answers: how many of the practices of popular business are to be
expected from a Bahá'í bookstore? How important is a Bahá'í
business in advancing community? Is it timely? What is most
necessary? Where are our resources most needed?

Your ideas and suggestions or thoughts will be most valuable in
advancing understanding about the role and purpose of this
business.

Thanks to all who participated in our online survey for feedback
on our service with a focus on our online presence.

Here are the results! Does this reflect your opinions? Please do
comment and share any additional thoughts or suggestions. Or visit
our online survey: Peaceful Pages Survey

Frequency of Bahá'í Purchases:

42% purchase Bahá'í books more than twice per year or less

22% once per year

Where do you get your Bahá'í Books?

30% online (various sources)

30% at events

24% Peaceful Pages online

9% BDS online

21% bookstores

Have your purchased from Peaceful Pages
online?

51% No

48% Yes

What about more e-books available?

94% just as likely to buy books

6 % less likely

With more downloadable music?

53% just as likely to buy CD and DVD

47% less likely to buy CD and DVD

Overall Experience with Peaceful Pages
website

Most people were very happy with the appearance, ability to find
what they were looking for, ordering process , shipment and
satisfaction. Highest score went to likelihood of recommending the
site followed closely by overall service J.

What is most important in choosing a
business?

Quality of product

Friendliness

Price

Cooperation

Sustainability Practices

Speed of Shipment

Convenient Location

Investment in Social Causes

Free Shipping

Collaboration with local artists/craftspeople/service
providers

Collaboration with foreign initiatives

Competitiveness

Suggested Priorities for Website upgrade:

Option to access individual account and track purchase
(23)

Option to add reviews on products (20)

More accurate online inventory (19)

Ability to download audio files (19)

Expand shipping options like 'pick up' (15)

Ability to download text files or e-books (15)

Mobile friendly (14)

More stories and community news/learning (11)

Option to upload local photos and interactivity with site
(5)

More regular blog entries (3)

We enjoyed your uplifting comments and particularly any specific
material or practice that is useful to you and your
communities.

While seeking a specific publication for a customer I stumbled
upon " The Five Year Plan, 2001-2006: Summary of
Achievements and Learning", printed by the Baha'i World Center.
My worried mind went right to thinking "Well now here is an
outdated publication!", so I began flipping through the pages. Did
I ever notice the wonderful photographs before? Wait, an insert on
microfinance? An article on when and how to seek external funding
for projects!? Establishments of local schools?! Experience on
recruiting youth from the community for service?

This may have happened somewhere in the world over 6 years ago,
but just the idea of these were highly relevant to the locality
where I'm living. Perhaps to you too!

So let me share with you my excitement and renewed interest to
look through this wonderful publication with fresh eyes. Eyes
seeking to gain insights that might inspire and guide the
activities were are engaged in right here.

Over the special period of Ayyam-i-Ha and the first week of the
Fast, Peaceful Pages offered to make a contribution to the Biblioteca Comunitaria Dr. William House in
the Dominican Republic in honor of every customer that purchased
between February 24th and March 10th. We are
happy to share that a contribution will be made this week in honor
of 14 wonderful customers.

On February 14th, a gentleman driving through town
decided to stop by our store and pick up some books. He was
beginning his study of the Bahá'í Faith and had several books on
loan from his friends in Southern Oregon. He wanted to return the
books and have copies of his own. So the nice man found the
replacements, added a few others to his collection and proceeded to
check out. As he departed he mentioned his wife was waiting in the
car and they'd be on their way to a nice dinner and evening out.
With a sparkle in his eye he said that he does plenty of
'withdrawing' from the relationship and it was time for him to make
some 'deposits'. His enthusiasm was so radiant, I dared ask how
long they had been married; 45 years was his answer.

The day had just become brighter through their visit. Face to
face marketplace interactions are priceless.

These are the questions more and more people are asking about
everything from books, to tools, to clothing, infrastructure, and
more!

How about a community lending library? There are plenty of books
we may only review once. They uplift and inform us, they educate
our community, are a source for research, etc. They can also be
costly!

Here are a few good resource books that your community may wish
to own in a shared library.

Leaves of the Twin Divine Trees - $49.00. A
book that finally gives us background and information about the
wives, sisters, daughters, and mothers of the Bab and Baha'u'llah's
families! - High Quality hard cover book

Mahmud's Diary- $46.00. A wonderful
account of one of 'Abdu'l-Baha's companions in His trip through
America. High Quality hard cover book.

Memories
of Nine Years in Akka- $42.00. A
translation of the memoirs of Dr. Youness Afroukhteh who served as
'Abdu'l-Baha's trusted secretary between 1900-1909. High Quality
Hard Cover book (480pp)

Purchase one of these as a
gift to your community library (or to get one going!) and you'll
get a 20% discount - Offer ends April 21, 2013

Your Name will go on a
donation to build a library in the Dominican Republic

Simple

Offer ends March 9th. Together we can make a difference! You get
uplifting materials. You can share them as gifts or when you are
offering hospitality. Children and adults in the DR also get books,
hospitality and training. What can be more joyful?

As we exit a very busy holiday season in the United States and
approach the special period of Ayyam-i-Ha, the Fast and the Baha'i
New Year, we'd treasure the chance to learn what you do to
strengthen a Baha'i identity in your children. Though 'Baha'i
culture' is something we are striving to understand in
collaboration with others, we have all had experience, insights and
learning worth sharing.

We have entered into an agreement with the Warwick Baha'i
Bookshop to distribute their "Spiritual Pursuit" game in the United
States! The game is now on its way here and will be placed on our
website as soon as it arrives. For information about this game
visit http://www.warwickbahaibookshop.co.uk/

Use this game to spice up your community social gatherings, Holy
Day and Feast social portions, home visits, family nights, and
more!